Last updated: September 1st, 2009.
August 1st
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain arrived at Mallorca for their annual summer vacation, only two days after a bombing by the ETA killed two policemen on the island. King Juan Carlos told the press that he feels "happy and safe" on the island, but also said: "We must go on and on hitting them [ETA] in the head and we must fight to stop them."
August 3rd
The Moroccan magazines TelQuel and Nichane have been banned, after having commissioned for a survey on the 10-year anniversary of the accession to the throne of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, togethre with the French newspaper Le Monde. The Interior Ministry said that the magazines had been seized for violating the media code in Morocco. The magazines insist that the results of the survey were positive, and that 91% of the people questioned had said they were positive or very positive about the reigh of King Mohammed VI.
Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum of Dubai has been banned by the International Equestrian Federation from riding endurance races for six months. The Sheikh also has to pay $ 4200 in fines and legal costs. The Sheikh's horse Tahhan had twice failed doping tests early this year. Horse trainer Abdullah bin Huzaim has admitted he gave the horse drugs without knowledge of the Sheikh, and has been banned for a year and fined also. The FEI is still looking into another doping case. The horse of Sheikh Hamdan - a son of Sheikh Mohammed - also tested positive in January.
August 5th
The Prince and Princess of Asturias and their daughters Leonor and Sofía posed for pictures during their vacation at Mallorca.
Princess Irene of the Netherlands celebrated her 70th birthday today in private. Yesterday evening a documentary about her was shown on Dutch television. She said that the most difficult thing about being a princess for her was the separation between the people and herself. In daily life she uses the name Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld, and says it makes a big difference whether she answers the phone as Princess Irene or Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld. She says she is only a princess when she has to be, when it fits with the family or special occassions.
Sheikha Hissa bint Salman Al-Khalifa, mother of King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, died today. Funeral prayers will be held tomorrow at the Sheikh Isa bin Salman Mosque in Manama, Bahrain.
A team of Bulgarian archaeologists say they have found the tomb of a Bulgarian Princess in the courtyard of the St. Peter and St. Pavel church in the town of Veliko Turnovo last week. The princess was found wearing luxurious clothes and excellently crafted jewellery. The archaeologists think the grave dates back to the 14th century, or maybe even earlier. The excavations on the site started in June. The discovered artefacts will be exhibited at the history museum this autumn after having been restored.
August 6th
The Dutch Government Information Service today confirmed that they are taking the American news agency Associated Press (AP) to court, on behalf of the Prince of Orange and Princess Maxima. The lawsuit will take place on 14 August. The service says AP has broken the Dutch mediacode, by distributing pictures of the couple and their children during their vacation in Argentina. Last week the Government Attorney sent several letters to Dutch media and AP, who had published the pictures. The Dutch media promised not to publish such pictures again. AP however didn't think they did anything wrong.
Prince Aristidis-Stavros of Greece was christened today at the Aghioi Anargiroi monastery at Ermioni, Greece. Among the guests were Queen Sofia of Spain and her daughters Elena and Cristina with children, as well as Cristina's husband Iñaki Urdangarín.
August 7th
Italian Archaeologists think to have found the remains of the villa in the Roman city of Falacrine, northeast of Rome, where Emperor Vespasian was born. He was emperor from 69 to 79 AD. The villa clearly belonged to a wealthy family.
August 8th
Prince Philippe of Belgium returned from his vacation in France to visit the old people's home "Kannunik Triest" in Melle, Belgium. Nine occupants died in a fire on Thursday evening. The Prince talked to other occupants, family members of the victims and people who helped rescueing. The prince appeared with a beard. Belgians are curious to find out whether this is a vacation-look, or that he will keep it a bit longer.
The Durban magistrate's court has postponed the trial of Prince Sifiso Zulu to 16 September yesterday. The prince's car was involved in a hit-and-run accident in which two people were killed and ten people were injured. The prince faces seven charges, but denies he was driving the car.
August 9th
Jewellery worth about $16 million has been stolen from a Saudi Arabian princess on the Italian island of Sardinia. The thiefs gained entry to her hotel in Porto Cervo, and ripped the safe from the wall, in which the jewellery was kept. The Italian police is investigating the theft.
August 11th
The Swedish royal court this morning announced the engagement of Princess Madeleine with her longtime boyfriend Jonas Bergström. The Swedish government has approved the marriage at an extraordinary meeting today. King Carl XVI Gustaf had already given his approval to the couple. An engagement dinner, attended by both families, will be held tonight at Solliden. Jonas Bergström was born at Danderyd on 23 January 1979, as third son of Claes and Elisabeth Bergström. He has two elder brothers: Peder and Ted. Since 2006 he works as an associate lawyer for a law firm in Stockholm. At the press conference at Solliden Castle in the late afternoon Princess Madeleine proudly showed her engagement ring to the press. Jonas Bergström proposed to her on 12 June during their vacation at the Italian island of Capri. The couple met for the first time when Madeleine only was 17 years old, but their relationship only started a couple of years later. They have been a couple for more than seven years now. Jonas said he fell for Madeleine's "beautiful blue eyes and her wonderful laugh". Madeleine said about Jonas that she also loved his eyes and said: "He is also the nicest person in the world, a wonderful friend." She said: "Getting engaged feels like a natural step". They have been able to ask for advice from Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling, who became engaged earlier this year. A wedding date hasn't been set yet, but it is thought the wedding will take place late 2010 or early 2011. After the wedding Jonas Bergström will become Duke of Hälsingland and Gästrikland.
On Saturday evening Prince Laurent of Belgium was admitted to a hospital on the Italian island of Sardinia, where he was on vacation with his family. Already upon arrival on Wednesday he had a fever and was coughing, but his situation became worse on Saturday. He and his family flew back to Belgium on Sunday evening, where the prince was taken to the Saint Luc Hospital in Brussels. It was feared that he might have the swine flu, but it turned out he has a pneumonia. He is doing well now and is expected to be able to leave hospital soon. He got the illness from his daughter Princess Louise, who is doing fine again after a bronchopneumonia.
August 12th
Prince Laurent of Belgium has left hospital today. He drove home with his wife Princess Claire.
August 14th
Today the rule nisi of the Prince of Orange and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands against the American press agency Associated Press took place at court in Amsterdam. In a statement read by their lawyer Henk Jan Boukema the princely couple said that they feel that their family life is being damaged very much by the publication of holiday pictures of their family. They said: "It causes unacceptable pressure on our children." The court ruling is expected in two weeks.
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark is one of the six new candidates for the membership of the International Olympic Committee. The prince and the other five candidates - from Oman, Nigeria, St. Lucia, Burundi and Sweden - will be up for election at the IOC session in October in Copenhagen. He is to replace Danish IOC-member Kai Holm. Frederik says he will avoid mixing politics and sports.
Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al-Maktoum of Dubai has been suspended of riding in horse endurance races for ten months. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $5000. In January his horse tested positive for anabolic steroids. His father was recently also banned for six months after one of his horses failed drug tests.
August 18th
Fürst Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein has angered German Jews. In an interview to the Liechtenstein newspaper Liechtensteiner Volksblatt he said: "We and Switzerland saved many people, especially Jews, with banking secrecy. Germany should clean up its own act, and think about its past." He noted that some Jews had been able to fled with the help of their bank accounts in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The general secretary of the German Central Council of Jews, Stephan Kramer, said: "It is historically incorrect for him to portray Liechtenstein as a merciful helper of the Jews."
No less than seven members of the Pahang royal family of Malaysia are recovering from swine flu. Tengku Puan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Isandariah Sultan Iskandar - wife of Tengku Mahkota Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah -, her five children and her sister Tunku Mariam Zaharah Sultan Iskandar were admitted to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan, Pahang, on Friday. They were expected to be discharged from hospital today.
August 19th
Forbes magazine published its yearly list of most powerful women in the world today. The list is headed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. There are also three royals in the top 100. The highest ranked royal is Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain on place 42. Queen Rania of Jordan is ranked on place 76, while Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates is ranked 95th.
August 20th
Two men who had stolen a memory stick with holiday pictures of Prince William of Wales and his girlfriend Kate Middleton from the car of Kate's sister Pippa in London on 29 August 2008 have been sentenced today by the Kingston Crown Court. The two men said they had found the memory stick in a gutter, but admitted the theft. They had tried to sell the pictures to the newspaper The Sun. They both have to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and each have to pay £125 court costs.
The federal government announced this week that the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg will receive €155 million. The foundation is planning an investment plan to restoration and improvement of some of the properties that are under its care. Included are the New Palace in Potsdam, Babelsberg Palace and Charlottenburg Palace. A spokesman of the foundation said yesterday: "This money means not just the restoration of the palaces, but also the improvement of the experience the visitors who come to the grounds. We hope that the renovations themselves will attract visitors. These are the biggest restorations happening right now in Germany and by leaving the buildings open to the public, we hope the guests can appreciate what restoration means." The state of Brandenburg has contributed another €53 million, while the city of Berlin contributed €24,5 million.
August 22nd
The Swedish royal court announced that the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling on 19 June 2010 will be officiated by Archbishop Anders Wejryd. He will be assisted by leading court clergyman and retired bishop Lars-Göran Lönnermark, Bishop of Lunds Stift Antje Jackelén and canon Åke Bonnier of the Stockholms domkyrkoförsamling.
August 25th
An official visit to Libya by the Duke of York early September has been cancelled. Reason is the hero's welcome Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi received when returning to tripoli last week.
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway yesterday visited the Norwegian troops in Afghanistan. It is not known which bases he visited, and for security reasons the visit was only announced after the visit had ended.
August 26th
King Mohammed VI of Morocco was admitted to the Royal Palace clinic, where he is treated by Professor Abdelaziz Maaouni. He is suffering from a rotavirus infection and digestive signs and acute dehydration. According to the Ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery his health condition is not worrying. The king is said to need a five day convalescence.
August 28th
The Prince of Orange and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands have won their court case against the American press agency The Associated Press. AP is no longer allowed to sell four images of the princely couple and their children during their skiing holiday in Argentina at the end of July. The couple said to be happy about the verdict. AP however is disappointed and is reviewing the ruling and thinking of further steps. The court ruled that the Dutch royal Mediacode of 2005 "can't be regarded as a binding agreement", but that the Dutch royal family has the same right to privacy as other people. The court ruled that AP has to pay the court costs and ordered AP to pay € 1000 for each further publication of the images.
On the occasion of the 10th birthday of Prince Nikolai, the Danish royal court released a series of pictures.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Nayef of Saudi Arabia has been taken to hospital in Jeddah after suffering minor wounds in a suicide bombing. The bomber had approached the sheikh claiming he wanted to give himself up as a terrorist. While he was being searched he detonated his explosive vest. The Sheikh in recent years led the campaign of his father, Sheikh Nayef - an halfbrother of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia - against al-Qaeda terrorists. King Abdullah visited his nephew in hospital soon after the attack. The Sheikh was released from hospital soon afterwards.
Daranee Charncherngsilapakul, a 46-year-old Thai woman, has been jailed for 18 years for insulting the Thai royal family. She was convicted on three counts and sentenced for six years on each count. She had been making speeches during three rallies in favour of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in June and July. The woman testified that she didn't intend to insult the monarchy.
A treasure trove full of jewels that was found in the Swedish government archives has been returned to the family. The items were deposited at the Swedish embassy in Saint Petersburg in 1918 by Grandduchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. They were smuggled to Stockholm later on. The grandduchess died in 1920 without telling anyone. The trove was only found back last year when the foreign ministry moved its archives. The items are to be auctioned off by Sotheby's in London in November 2009. The treasure includes about 60 jewel-encrusted gold and silver cigarette cases and cufflinks by Faberge and Bolin. They are thought to be worth around $ 2.8 million.
August 29th
A real royal wedding took place at Andechs monastery in the south of Germany today. Prince Lukas von Auersperg married Princess Alice of Bavaria early in the afternoon. Witnesses were Princess Auguste of Bavaria, Cordula Rommel, Benedikt Wressnig, Count Felix zu Clam-Martinic, Freiherr Maximilian von Heine-Geldern and Constantin Gussich. Flower children were Princess Odilia of Bavaria, Valerie, Elisabeth, Marie-Blanche, Louis, Maximilian Terberger and Prince Leopold of Bavaria. Among the guests were Duke Franz of Bavaria, Duke Max and Duchess Elizabeth in Bavaria with their four younger daughters and three son-in-laws, Prince Leopold and Princess Ursula of Bavaria, Prince Manuel and Princess Anna of Bavaria, Prince Rasso and Princess Therese of Bavaria, the Duke and Duchess of Bragança, Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis and Princess Alix de Ligne, as well as members of the families Croy, Arenberg and Liechtenstein. After the wedding a reception took place at the monastery. The wedding dinner and ball were held at Leutstetten Castle.
August 30th
King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at Laeken Castle with a garden party for couples who married on the same day as them, 2 July 1959. Also invited were couples who married on 22 September 1984, 4 December 1999 and 12 April 2004. Reason was that also the 25th wedding anniversary of Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz, 10th wedding anniversary of Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde and the 6th wedding anniversary of Prince Laurent and Princess Claire were celebrated. The guests were amused with theatre. The royal couples were accompanied by the four children of Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde. Unfortunately an accident overshadowed the celebrations. Two guests were severely injured and two others slightly injured when two horse-drawn carriages, on their way to the reception in the glass house, collided when horses that were pulling one of the carriages started galloping out of control.
Two burglars tried to break into a house in Shropshire that is shared by Prince William and Prince Harry of Wales, who are both trainig at the RAF base in Shawbury. The two princes weren't home. The property is under 24-hour armed guard. The robbers were arrested within seconds and cautioned with conspiracy to commit burglary. It is thought they were not aware of it who lived in the house.
The man who tried to kill Sheikh Mohammed bin Nayef of Saudi Arabia earlier this week came from Yemen, the minister of foreign affairs of Yemen said yesterday. Online al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing and says that Abdullah al-Asiri had flown on the plane of the Sheikh from Yemen.
Royal News: July 2009. Last updated: August 5th, 2009.